Argentina Vs Netherlands: Google Doodle Inspired by FIFA World Cup 2014 Goalline Technology
It will be Argentina versus Netherlands in the second semifinal of the FIFA World Cup 2014. With strikers on rampage, how can Google Doodle not highlight the tournament's innovative goalline technology?
From vanishing sprays to age-old rivalries, Google Doodle has been on target every time in this FIFA World Cup 2014. With the tournament's first semifinal between Brazil and Germany producing eight goals - Brazil suffered a horrifying 7-1 defeat at Belo Horizonte on Tuesday - Google has produced a doodle on Wednesday's semifinal clash between Argentina versus Netherlands. It has been inspired by the tournament's innovative goalline technology.
Unlike the Indian cricket Board that refuses to embrace technology, for example the Umpires' Decision Review System, World Cup teams seem to have taken the goalline technology in their stride. The latest Google Doodle is probably a tribute to FIFA's endeavour and definitely comes at a time when scoring goals will be all-important.
On Tuesday, the vanishing spray used liberally by the referees had inspired a lovely doodle. The spray has been used by match officials while marking out set-pieces like freekicks. When every inch of the field matters in needle games, the spray has come handy to draw the lines between the attacker and the defender.
Wednesday's Argentina vs Netherlands doodle shows a goalie emerging from the letter 'O' (in the word Google) to make a flying save on his left. The ball strikes the crosspiece and lands on the goalline. An ant comes up and uses a ruler to measure whether the ball indeed crossed the line. By raising a red flag, the ant disallows the goal.
The final image of the Argentina vs Netherlands doodle has a sky blue background with the (Brazilian green and canary yellow-coloured) ball balancing on the goalline. The Google logo is at the top left-corner and is in white. The sky blue-white combination clearly resembles Argentina's colours but where is Netherland's 'Oranje'?
Argentina last reached the FIFA World Cup final in 1990. The Netherlands, meanwhile, are eager to rediscover their group-stage swagger and prove they are finally ready to claim football's greatest prize after agonising final defeats in 1974, 1978 and 2010.